Vice President Leni Robredo will return to engaging in exploratory talks next week with Manila Mayor Isko Moreno and Senator Manny Pacquiao in relation to the 2022 elections, her spokesperson said on Thursday, September 2.
Robredo’s spokesperson Barry Gutierrez said in an interview with One PH’s Sa Totoo Lang that the vice president may resume her talks with Pacquiao and Moreno after she completes her 14-day quarantine.
Robredo continued her self-isolation until this weekend despite the negative RT-PCR test result in accordance with COVID-19 guidelines. This was after she became a “very close contact” of an office staff who tested positive for COVID-19 earlier.
“Siguro starting next week kapag tapos na siya sa quarantine, baka maghabol na ulit ng pag-schedule ng meeting doon sa mga kasalukuyang kausap ni VP Leni (Maybe starting next week if she’s done with her quarantine, VP Leni may catch up on scheduling her meeting with those whom she is in currently in talks with),” Gutierrez said.
READ: VP Leni spared from COVID-19; to remain in quarantine for one more week
“Nagpahayag naman si Senator Pacquiao na ngayong tapos na iyong kaniyang laban, bukas siya sa pakikipag-usap kay VP. So mase-schedule na rin iyan kapag nalampasan na namin itong problema sa quarantine at sa COVID (Senator Pacquiao already said that now that his fight is done, he’s open to talking with VP. So, we can schedule that after our problem with quarantine and COVID),” he added.
Aside from being in quarantine, Robredo is also busy with her COVID-19 response programs, particularly the Bayanihan E-Konsulta, which she also handles personally every night.
Gutierrez said that the vice president is still open to talking with everyone, including the Manila mayor, because nothing is final yet.
“Lahat naman ng mga usapan (All talks are) ongoing...So, babalitaan namin kayo kapag nagkaroon ng (we’re going to tell you if there are already) developments diyan (there). Definitely, kapag nag-announce si VP, isang malaking (when VP announces, that will be a big), well, announcement iyon na ipapaalam namin sa lahat ng mga naghihintay (that we will let everyone who are waiting to know),” he added.
Robredo’s exploratory talks with different 2022 aspirants are being held in a bid to unite the opposition, her camp claims.
READ: Robredo in ‘exploratory talks’ with other potential bets
Her talks, however, with Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III and Senators Ping Lacson and Richard Gordon earned the ire of former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV earlier. Trillanes said he will only support Robredo—and no one else—as president.
Robredo and Trillanes are both nominees of opposition coalition 1Sambayan.
Although the vice president is yet to decide on whether to run or not as president in 2022, she remains to be the opposition’s most formidable candidate. There is no clear name, however, of who her runningmate will be.